C152 STUDENT; WITH INSTRUCTOR; ABORTED TKOF AT NON TWR ARPT TO AVOID AN AGRICULTURAL ACFT TAKING OFF FROM THE OPPOSITE END OF THE RWY.

Date: 2002-04 · Aircraft: Cessna 152 · Phase: takeoff

Anomalies: conflict-ground-conflict|less-severe|other-see-and-avoid

Synopsis

C152 STUDENT; WITH INSTRUCTOR; ABORTED TKOF AT NON TWR ARPT TO AVOID AN AGRICULTURAL ACFT TAKING OFF FROM THE OPPOSITE END OF THE RWY.

Narrative

A STUDENT AND MYSELF WERE GOING UP TO PRACTICE TOUCH-AND-GO'S IN THE PATTERN. THE WIND AND TFC OVER THE PREVIOUS FEW HRS FAVORED RWY 18; ALTHOUGH AN ACR HAD RECENTLY TAKEN OFF RWY 36. WE WERE #2 BEHIND A BARON THAT JUST TOOK OFF. AFTER THE BARON WAS CLR; WE MADE A RADIO CALL AND PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF. 1500 FT DOWN THE RWY; MY STUDENT ABORTED THE TKOF AND VEERED TO THE R BECAUSE HE SAW AN AGRICULTURAL OPERATOR TAKING OFF IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. AFTER MISSING THE AGRICULTURAL OPERATOR; WE PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF. WE VERIFIED OUR RADIOS BY COMMUNICATING WITH THE OTHER TFC AND ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE AGRICULTURAL OPERATOR; BUT WE COULD NOT REACH HIM. AFTER LNDG; THE AGRICULTURAL OPERATOR APCHED TO TALK ABOUT THE INCIDENT. HE SAID THAT HE DID MAKE A RADIO CALL BEFORE HE TOOK OFF. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE WAS USING A HANDHELD RADIO. AT GTR; TFC AT THE N END OF THE RWY CANNOT SEE TFC AT THE S END OF THE RWY DUE TO HIGHER ELEVATION AT THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD. THE AGRICULTURAL OPERATOR'S FACILITIES ARE AT THE S END OF THE RWY; SO HE USUALLY TAKES OFF TO THE N BECAUSE IT IS MOST CONVENIENT FOR HIM. THE COMMERCIAL AIRLINERS TAKE OFF TO THE N BECAUSE THAT IS THE DIRECTION THEY ARE HEADING. IN MY OPINION; THE COMBINATION OF THE VISUAL OBSTRUCTIONS; COUPLED WITH THE USE OF AN APPARENTLY UNDERPOWERED HANDHELD RADIO BY THE AGRICULTURAL OPERATOR; COMBINED TO MAKE A POTENTIALLY DEADLY SIT. ALTHOUGH THE AGRICULTURAL OPERATOR DIDN'T BREAK ANY REGS; FOLLOWING FAA RECOMMENDED PROCS WOULD HAVE AVERTED THIS SIT. BOTH THE COMMERCIAL AIRLINER AND THE AGRICULTURAL OPERATOR SHOULD HAVE USED THE ACTIVE RWY WHETHER IT WAS MOST CONVENIENT FOR THEM OR NOT. IN ADDITION; IT IS LIKELY THAT GTR IS GETTING TOO BUSY TO REMAIN AN UNCTLED ARPT. A CTL TWR WOULD HAVE ALSO AVERTED THIS SIT.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.